1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid state drive (SSD) tester, and more particularly to an SSD tester which divides the functions of generating and comparing test pattern data and Frame Information Structure (FIS) data with each other into each other to implement the functions as separate logics, so that entire test time is decreased by reducing load of a processor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Until now, hard disk drives (HDDs) have been most generally known and used as large capacity digital media storage devices. However, in recent years, as prices of NAND flash semiconductor devices, which can store the largest capacity among semiconductor devices having a memory function and data stored therein are not erased even when electric power is not supplied, are being lowered, large capacity digital medial storage apparatus such as solid state drives (SSDs) using a semiconductor having a memory function are newly appearing.
Writing and reading speeds of such an SSD are 3 to 5 times as fast as those of existing hard disks, and its performance of reading/writing a random address required by a database management system is several hundreds of times as excellent as those of existing hard disks. In addition, an SSD is operated in a silent way, so a noise problem of an existing hard disk can be solved. Further, since the SSD is operated with power consumption significantly lower than that of a hard disk, the SSD is known as to most suitable for a digital device, such as a laptop computer, which requires low power consumption.
In addition, the SSD has a higher durability against an external impact than an existing hard disk, and as the SSD can be manufactured to be smaller and more various in shape as compared with a hard disk having a fixed form in terms of an external design, an external shape of an electronic product employing the SSD can be made smaller, showing many excellent advantages in its applications.
Due to its advantages, it is expected that distributions of SSDs can be expanded rapidly to searches, home shopping, storage media of video service servers, storage media for storing various R&D materials, and special equipment, as well as existing desktop computers or laptop computers.
As a scheme of testing the above-described SSD, an SSD tester according to the related art is illustrated in FIG. 1.
The SSD tester according to the related art shown in FIG. 1 includes a host terminal 10, a network 20, a communication interface unit 30, a memory 40, a micro processor 50, a storage interface unit 60, and a storage unit 70. The storage interface unit 60 includes a plurality of storage interfaces 61˜60+n. The storage unit 70 includes a plurality of storages 71˜70+N, and respective storage interfaces perform the same function. Each unit in the above described SSD tester according to the related art is provided as a separate device.
The network 20 maintains a wired/wireless network connection with the host terminal 10. The network 20 may be network-connected to the host terminal 10 through wired communication such as LAN, USB, or RS-232, and wireless local area communication such as Bluetooth, Zigbee, or UWB.
A user inputs a test condition through the host terminal 10. The input test condition, which is received through the network 20, is transferred to the micro processor 50 through the communication interface unit 30 of a next stage.
The micro processor 50 generates a test pattern for testing the storage 70 in connection with the memory 40 according to the transferred test condition. The test pattern may be implemented as various types of test patterns which are widely used for testing an SSD and various types of storages. In addition, the micro processor 50 performs a function of generating Frame Information Structure (FIS) data.
The micro processor 50 controls test of the storage 70 using the generated test pattern. For example, the micro processor 50 generates a test signal based on the test pattern and transmits the test signal to the storage 70 through the storage interface unit 60 so that test of the storage 70 may be controlled. The test control includes storing the test pattern generated for the test in the storage 70, reading out the test pattern from the storage 70, and comparing the stored test pattern (expectation data) with the read test pattern (readout data) to process a fail.
As well known in the related art, the micro processor 50 performs all functions related to the test, such as a function of generating the test pattern for testing the SSD, a function of generating the FIS data, a function of storing the test pattern in the storage 70, a function of reading out data from the storage 70, a function of comparing the stored data with the read data to determine whether a fail occurs.
The storage interface unit 60 maintains interface with the storage 70. The storage interface unit 60 performs Serial-ATA (SATA) interface with the storage 70.
However, in the related art as illustrated above, since the micro processor 50 completely performs all functions related to the SSD test, such as a function of generating the test pattern for testing the SSD, a function of generating the FIS data, a function of storing the test pattern in the storage 70, a function of reading out data from the storage 70, a function of comparing the stored data with the read data to determine whether a fail occurs, load of the micro processor is weighted so that a real-time test is impossible.
Specifically, as described above, since one micro processor completely performs entire functions for the SSD test, the real-time test is impossible, so since when plural SSDs are tested, the SSDs must be sequentially tested, the micro processor requires much time to test all SSDs.